Rock Creek Yarn

1. What is your website?
www.RockCreekYarn.com

2. Your Ravelry username?
MerryGentlemen



3. What do you make?
Hand dyed yarn

4. How did you get into making stuff?
I've always made stuff. I got into yarn because of my grandmother. She was an avid crocheter.

5. What is your favorite thing about the local fiber community?
Knitters (and crocheters, spinners, and weavers) are some of the friendliest people I've ever met. When I moved to Maryland a couple of years ago, I went straight to knitting groups to start making new friends. It worked.



6. How does what you do/make influence the rest of your life, and vice versa?
A lot of my colorways are inspired by places I've been and things I've seen. It makes me pay more attention to the colors in my surroundings.

7. Any funny stories, words of wisdom, something else to share about you or your business?
I met my husband because of knitting.

Feederbrook Farm

1. What is your website?
www.feederbrook.com

2. Your Ravelry username?
feederbrook



3. What do you make?
Hand spun yarns, hand painted yarn, roving, some finished goods and happy health sheep!

4. How did you get into making stuff?
In 1996 the tenants on the farm left and forgot to take their cats and sheep. So we decided to keep the flock and the felines. We knew absolutely nothing about livestock, farming or fiber, but we learned fast. A few years past and the bags of fleeces began to build up, so as a joke I asked my family for a spinning wheel for Christmas. Well they did not think that I was joking. That was 14 years ago and the rest is history.



5. What is your favorite thing about the local fiber community?
teaching and learning

6. How does what you do/make influence the rest of your life, and vice versa?
Everything I do revolves completely around the animals and fiber.... my family can attest to that.

Mid Valley Fibers

1. What is your website?
midvalleyfibers.com
midvalleyfibers.etsy.com

2. Your Ravelry username?
linspins



3. What do you make?
Handspun yarns from local alpaca and wools; handknit accessories including shawls, scarves, neckwarmers, fingerless mitts and hats; angels from unspun wool and knitting patterns and kits.

4. How did you get into making stuff?
I've been knitting since the age of 8. My elegant, tall, gorgeous aunt taught me. I wanted to be just like her. I achieved the knitting goal, but the didn't make it to 6' tall and thin! Oh well, I love the art of knitting and added spinning about 20 years ago so that I could go from their backs (the animals) to mine.

5. What is your favorite thing about the local fiber community?
I've met so many people through fibers in the last few years. Through my local knit groups and fiber guilds I've had a chance to share techniques and learn so many new techniques that I did not have access to when I was a solitary knitter for so many years. I've also met many fiber producers and really enjoy learning more about the animals and what it takes to make a good yarn from the farm. I have any fiber producer friends and let them know that as a fiber consurmer I really appreciate the hard work it takes to produce good fiber fleeces.



6. How does what you do/make influence the rest of your life, and vice versa?
Seven years ago my grandson was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. I had the chance to be his primary daycare provider and daytime caregiver. Since he slept so much, I had the chance to knit furiously and after gifting so much I turned to offering my handknits to public. I donate a portion of the proceeds to Cystic Fibrosis research in honor of my grandson, Noah. (He's doing quite well with all the new respiratory therapies, drug therapies and new preventative regimens that have been developed in the last 15-20 years.) In addition to the CF aspect, I've had the chance to develop patterns and teach both knitting and spinning in the last two years and look forward to more opportunities for these.

7. Any funny stories, words of wisdom, something else to share about you or your business?
I fell in love with alpaca several years ago when I made friends with a local alpaca producer. She got me involved in a new fiber guild, invited me to help out when they sheared their animals and just generally encouraged me to work with alpaca fiber. Since then I've become involved with the Maryland Alpaca Breeders Association and have made many friends through this group. The educational seminars that groups like this put on are invaluable to fiber artists and I highly recommend and encourage others to make friends with fiber producers of all types. The more you learn about the fiber and how it is produced, the better you understand the fibers and how to create yarn and garments appropriate to those fibers.

Ashton Studio Arts, LLC

1. What is your website?
AshtonStudioArts.com

2. Your Ravelry username?
AshtonStudioArts



3. What do you make?
We create hand painted and hand dyed yarns using our own techniques. We use top quality professional dyes and yarns manufactured for our ASA yarns. We have developed extensive dyeing formulas for our reproducible colorways. We use a technical approach to producing our dyes, weighing and measuring our all ingredients to our exacting standards. We plan to expand our product line with fiber for weaving and spinning in the near future and hope to open our studio to the public for sales and classes in the next year.

We are also heavily involved with photography of all types where we find much of our inspiration for our colorways.

4. How did you get into making stuff?
I am an accomplished knitter and crocheter and like to experiment with color. Sometimes, the artist in me just takes over and I have to create a new pattern or colorway. I love to try new things and am an avid reader which helps me modify other’s successful dying techniques. Both my husband and I have formal training in the yarn and fiber dyeing process.

My husband loves to work with his hands and has a very artistic side as well. He creates colorways and dyes yarns, has designed and is building out our studio and assembles much of the process equipment we use in the yarn dyeing process. Photography has been a passion for him for over 40 years.Thus, a family business is born.



5. What is your favorite thing about the local fiber community?
The local fiber community is very friendly and helpful. A few people in our area have helped us expand our horizons by answering questions, offering suggestions and sharing their experiences. It’s almost like an extended family.

6. How does what you do/make influence the rest of your life, and vice versa?
Creating something from an abstract idea or a concept is very exciting and fulfilling. Being fulfilled and content only contributes to the creative cycle. Our greatest joy is seeing our customers create beautiful projects using our yarns. We are working towards becoming an internationally known hand dyed yarn source.

7. Any funny stories, words of wisdom, something else to share about you or your business?
Just go for your dream and follow it wherever it takes you.

Sponsor - A Tangled Skein

We'd like to thank A Tangled Skein for sponsoring the Homespun Yarn Party once again! Visit this great shop in Hyattsville, MD (and don't miss their Friday the 13th sales).



Website: www.atangledskein.com

Ravelry Group: A Tangled Skein

What kinds of things do you carry at A Tangled Skein?
Lots of yarn, including Noro, Art Yarns, Schaeffer, Neighborhood Fiber Company, Malabrigo, Berocco, and many others; good selection of books and individual patterns

What's your favorite thing about having a LYS?
Meeting our customers. They’re such a creative, interesting people. And we like having the shop be a community gathering place. (Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the workday is spent surrounded by piles and piles of wonderful colored yarn.)

Do you have any knitting groups meeting at your shop? Any fun classes coming up?
We’re proud to announce that our own Stacey Trock will be signing her new book, Cuddly Crochet, at A Tangled Skein on Saturday, March 20, at 5 p.m. And in case you can’t get enough of Stacey, she’s repeating her popular Two Socks at a Time class beginning of Tuesday, March 23, and continuing on March 30 and April 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. You can find the rest of the class schedule here, including the biweekly Sit & Stitch and monthly Sit & Spin.

Sponsor - Fibre Space

Thanks to our sponsor Fibre Space, knit-a-gogo's yarn shop in Alexandria, Virginia. Go check them out!



Website: www.fibrespace.com

Ravelry Group: Fans of fibre space

What kind of things do you carry? Is it all for knitting/crocheting, or do you have spinning/weaving/etc supplies?
We carry yarn, needles, notions and also needle felting and spinning supplies.



What's your favorite thing about having your own yarn shop?
I meet the most amazing people. Knitters and crocheters are so creative and seeing what they are working on, what projects they find on Rav, and what colors they put together is a constant inspiration.



Do you have any knitting groups meeting at your shop? Any fun classes coming up?
We have our weekly “Stitch in Space” every Thursday evening from 5-9 pm. Jared Flood will be at the shop May 15-16 for several unique workshops. We also have an exciting Mother’s Day event with Betz White coming up on May 8.

Location, Location, Location!

Savage Mill is a super cute old complex that was once a fiber mill. It's got spinning areas, carding areas, weaving areas, and a cotton shed. You can read more about the history and renovation here. It's the perfect venue to hold us and our fiber fanatics!

Savage is just north of Laurel - directions are provided on their website here. It's pretty convenient from I-95, right off Rt 32.

Once you're at the mill, we'll be in the Great Room. There are maps around once you're in the door, so it shouldn't be hard to find us! Parking is easiest in the west lot - it gets pretty crowded in the closer lots! We encourage people to arrive throughout the day - our vendors will have great stuff all day and we'll be announcing new door prizes every hour.



Also, take some time to check out all the great antiques and furniture! There's a used book store, craft and scrapbooking stores, a pottery shop with yarn bowls, and more to see! If you get hungry, there are plenty of options! Save room for a delicious french pastry at Bonapartes! If the weather is nice, go for (or send your family on) a walk on the Savage Mill Trail!